Heart, Lock, & Key
by ScarletStarr
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia is attending Fairy Academy, whereas her classmates call her "Lucky Lucy" due to her wealthy family's lineage and her "cool personality" to match. However, this Lucy that everyone knows and loves differs with her shy character. What happens when she wishes to open the door to her true self one night to find unusual keys the next morning? (Shugo Chara!AU)
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. Shugo Chara! belongs to Peach-Pit.**

* * *

It's a beautiful morning in dear Magnolia – The big blue spring sky revealed the entire city, full of tall buildings, seeing any rarity of one-stories tall. Multiple groups of kids in black blazers and red skirts or blue shorts swarmed and headed for the epicenter of the city – Fairy Academy, one of the most prestigious and high-attendance schools in Magnolia. The infamous name is known for its unique school environment and potential in all students.

While that may be true, something peculiar ensues in between the empty walkway, used as a shortcut. Two older boys tower over the seemingly, intimidated kid, clenching onto his brown messenger bag.

"Hey, you. Yesterday, I heard some rumors."

"It had to do with a certain game we wanted."

"Uh- er, um…." The young victim acted nervously.

"It's best that you hand it over, _Romeo._"

A set of footsteps suddenly stop its tracks because of what was in her way. "Could you move over? You're blocking my way." The girl had a sense of defiance and a bit of haughtiness while saying so.

The two boys turn around. "What's up with her?"

Red sleeve band. Red X hair clip. Stylish plaid buckled legwarmers. These statement items this unordinary girl donned meant that she was none other than-

"It's you!" Romeo said in excitement. "She's the new transfer student that I've heard all about! Lucy Heartfilia! She is so cool!" It wasn't surprising to the said girl that she saw stars in his eyes.

"Lucy Heartfilia?!" The scared boys were in unison, reacting intimidated (A/N: ironically), realizing who she was. "Rumors said she took down every player in the basketball team!" "And the schools were feared by her, so the board had to make peace with her!

"WE'RE SO SORRY!" They ran like the wind and were gone in a blink.

The "feared" Lucy shrugs them off. "Geez, who makes up those kinds of gossip anyways?" Romeo thanks her deeply for saving him. But she replies, "You too were blocking the walkway." Before he had a chance to answer, the blonde starts to take her leave. "Be more careful next time."

Just as she turned the corner, Romeo was in awe, and praises, "She's amazing~!"

**#**

Fairy Academy: Class 1 – Star Class Group. The morning bell rings for fifteen-minute class break. The "celebrity" remains in her seat, acting in her cool manner.

"Lisanna, did you hear about the incident this morning?" Mirajane asks to her younger sister, who was in the Sun Class.

"I actually did, _especially_ about Lucy. She's so cool!"

"There's something about her character that makes her stand out. I love how she styles her uniform!"

"Her father's a wealthy company entrepreneur…"

"AND SHE STANDS UP LIKE A REAL MAN!" Elfman abruptly barges.

Just a few meters away, none other than Lucy overhears the Strauss sibling trio out in the main floor's hallway. _Another selfish rumor. I wish they knew that's not really my character._ She looks out the tall window on her left, right hand resting on her cheek. She remains in her thoughts for the rest of the break.

**#**

Lucy Heartfilia's home. The neighborhood is silent except for the neighbor's dog barking.

"YOU! Have a spirit!" The peculiar woman in the TV pointed to the audience, in this case, seemingly talking to Lucy.

"Huh?!" The other, however reacted a bit scared just after switching channels. (In the last hour, the blonde came across a rerun of this "doctor" who didn't look close to one at all. The rerun was none other than angel statues and not blinking.) Lucy came to her composure while Plue sat next to her, shivering.

"Is everything alright, Princess?" A purple haired maid that Lucy calls her 'Virgo' asks this to the Master's daughter. She happened to almost pass by in the main hallway just as when Lucy acted "in distress."

"Y-yeah…" Lucy sweatdrops. As Virgo enters the living room, Lucy asks, "Is there really such thing as 'having a spirit'?"

The TV answered the question for her. "Yes, a guardian angel that's never left your side, always protecting you." The fortune teller lady continues, but Lucy is left unfazed and certainly not convinced, crossing her arms. "I-it's probably just a fake…"

Just as when she was about to switch channels again, Virgo mentions bluntly, "I've heard about this woman before, Princess. She's very familiar." At the meantime, Plue leapt across the coffee table to show his owner the cover of a magazine. With the remote down and the said issue picked up, the latter read "Miss Nobuko: The All-Real, Never-Deceiving Psychic!"

Miss Nobuko was still informing, Lucy being attentive to the TV. "Your companion is your guardian angel that will be always watching over you, protecting who you really are."

"Still sounds fake."

"People that deny them will _die._"

Lucy reacted a bit shocked. "I-is she talking to me…?"

"_I am talking to you._"

_This is getting weirder by the minute I keep watching!_

Virgo observes intently, having a more serious than blunt expression than before. Like as if she knows something more about this.

A frazzled blonde remains in her room, silent, for a few seconds, pondering on what she just watched. "AAAH! What was that, black magic or witchcraft?! Wait, isn't that almost the same thing?! This isn't good!" She was pulling at her hair, and fell backward on her bed.

"On top of that, my outer character exhausted me for the day again…." _My outer character, in other words, my other façade. I have more than one side of me. The real Lucy that no one ever sees is truly different. The real me wants to be truthful._

On the first day of transferring to Fairy, Lucy was internally nervous, standing in front of the class.

"Everyone, we have a new student joining us. Her name is Lucy Heartfilia." The homeroom teacher addressed her openly.

_Oh no..! What should I say?! What do I do!?_

"..Lucy?"

"Oh? Well, nice to meet you." Lucy managed to say so in a calm, cool, and collected manner. The students react amazed.

_I can't believe that not knowing what to say misled people's impressions to thinking I'm reckless in a "cool way." Sometimes I would like to wear something cute once in a while… But if I change my personality, nobody could accept the real me. It's amazing that no one's made a rumor that I actually live alone, most of the time. Dad wouldn't even bother to come home early or go to elementary or junior high graduation ceremonies. _

"Your companion is your guardian angel that will be always watching over you, protection who you really are." Lucy recalls what Fortune Teller Nobuko said. "Guardian angel…?"

"Lights out, princess." Virgo cracks open the door to let Lucy know, then closes it.

The sliding door leading to her balcony slides open, and Lucy walks out into the cool evening sky. Then, she folds her hands and closes her eyes. _To my guardian angel – If you're really out there, and you exist – I'm truly sorry for denying you. Please, if you can, give me strength in showing my true identity, my real self. I want to open the door of my true character._

#

The next morning at Lucy's house.

"I guess I literally did say so…" The blonde bedhead was confused to see what was left under her pillow this morning. Even her disheveled hair matched how confused she was.

"Keys…?" This was one peculiar morning to start the right foot on. "I did ask that I want to open the door of my true self, but that was a metaphor!" She observed the three golden keys. The key on the left had a pink heart sculpted on the bow's center. Another looked similar but had a blue spade; the third had a green clover.

"Gee, I wonder if these keys open to anywhere…"

After getting ready for school, Lucy steps down the double two-in-one stairway for breakfast. She usually disregards her father behind the breakfast table, reading the newspaper. After eating and now tying her shoes at the main door, she decides to ask her maid a question.

"Uh, Virgo, could I ask you something?"

"What'll it be? If it's about your box lunch, it's already in your bag. It's got your favorite today. Your room will be in care by me while you're away. And if you need me to get some things straight with anyone, I could handle it for you."

"Uh… On second thought, never mind. I think I'm going to be late." Lucy was too embarrassed to ask her about the keys due to her offers.

"If you insist." Virgo watches her maiden depart; slowly changing to that almost same expression she had on last night.

#

Lucy had made her way walking to Fairy campus. She sighed; _I had no choice but to bring them. _The keys hung on her skirt's waistband, peeking under Lucy's untucked blouse.

"Wahh! So cool!"

"They're amazing, as expected of the Guardians!" Two unfamiliar girls were reacting astonished, just as they would when they saw Lucy on the first day. Once she had a questionable expression, they quickly came to Lucy's aid to assist her.

"So, Lucy, you might not know who they are, since you've been new here." The second girl filled her in.

"They're Fairy Tail's Guardians!" The first girl mentioned.

"Why are they called guardians - ?"

" – 'Cause they protect the school from any danger! Plus, together they make up the school's strongest trio!" "They're more than just a student council!" "They truly do act as guardians!"

As if on cue, the said eminent three is already on the move nearby.

"The Queen's chair, Erza Scarlet;"

"The Jack's chair, Natsu Dragneel;"

"The Ace's chair, Gray Fullbuster."

_They're really hung up when it comes to talking about people, aren't they?_ Lucy tiredly sighs.

"The guardians have tea in the Royal Garden's Glasshouse…"

"…And they wear this royal cape!" Lucy begins to notice "Fairy's strongest trio" already on campus grounds. "Aren't they like royalty, Lucy~?" The pair of girls never failed to be in sync and fill each other in. Whoever they were.

"They are actually…" Lucy was about to agree with them, but stopped in her tracks. "Well not really. I would rather think of them as no more than equals to me." As usual, Lucy Heartfilia had put up the walls of her façade and closed herself in by her crossed arms.

The strangers also took attention to Lucy's reaction. "You're so cool, Lucy!"

Students had unknowingly parted (like the Red Sea) an open "runway" for the Guardians, Lucy unbeknownst near the left, facing the building. She suddenly notices a girl with chopped blue hair constantly fiddling with the hem of her red skirt, looking down. The girl was about to run into a Guardian with black spiky hair(Gray). Just as when the said was about to be done, a pink head blocks Lucy's view. "Eh?"

"Say, um, could you be…?" Natsu drags off a question, indecisive of what to say. Their surroundings seem to be interested between the two by murmuring.

The other, however, hadn't lost her demeanor. She threw her bag over her shoulder. "If you don't have anything else to say, I best be on my way, pinky."

"Oooohhh~!" The students respond to the burning comeback while Natsu was disconcerted. "Er, sorry…"

She already started on her way to class. _I can't believe I got away with saying that! He has to be the first guy to ever talk to me without any praise or anything along the lines! Idiot! Oh, what'll I do…?_ She kept her head down as she headed into the building.

Natsu was starting to get hot-headed. "What is up with that blondie…?"

"Don't lose your cool, I could see you burning up in front of those flames of yours." Gray smirked, proud of his comeback. (A/N: Ha. Ha ha ha.)

Erza stopped walking, in between the two boys. "Natsu, that girl…"

"Yeah. She has keys. Three of them."

Gray whistles. "Three? I've seen others with only one or two."

Natsu looks past Erza to get a better look at his opposite. "Do you even know what this means, 'tough guy'?"

Now they were both head-to-head with each other. "Yes I know what this means, hot head, no need to state the _obvious!_"

"Well _maybe_ if you just – "

"ENOUGH you two!" "Y-yes ma'am!" The Jack and Ace held an intimidated bearing. The Queen signed, but had a positive expression. "That girl has three keys. Looks like the chosen one has arrived.

"Carrying three Guardian keys means she's the one to carry the Celestial Lock as well," Gray explained.

#

A few miles away from Fairy grounds lay a spiky blonde haired boy in a grassy hill area. Who seems to be accompanying him is a maroon cat.

His sense grabbed his attention, hearing a honing sound. "Hmm…? The Mage's Lock…?" He starts to stand up.

"What is it, Sting?" Lector the Cat asks what looked like was concerning him.

"Be right back." Sting made his way to find where his sense is leading him. Immediately after, Lector began to follow.

He was suddenly at the top of the Glasshouse in the small study room. He felt his sense maximizing, leading to the securely padlocked and chained cabinet. "Found you."

By that time, he was already out of the room, leaving the double hinged window and the broken in cabinet open.

Sting Eucliffe had taken possession in the Celestial Lock and Mage's Key.

"We shall commence the Guardians' summer meeting," the Scarlet Queen boomed. "The Ace would like to begin with the recent survey results."

_Jeez, was I too rash on him? _Lucy didn't consider trying to pay attention to the meeting. It was held in the wide gymnasium, using the proscenium stage. She was seated on the far left edge of the left column. Unlike inside, surprisingly, the school would've been rowdy as ever. _Come to think of it, it really has been the first time to talk to a guy like him._

"If there's any suggestion, raise your hand." Gray spoke over Lucy's mind. _Oh! I wonder how those two [Gray and Juvia] are –_

"Yes, I'm truly sorry about this morning! I really like you, Gray-Sama!" Coincidentally, Juvia had stood up on her feet and raised her hand, at least five rows in front and in the middle away from Lucy.

_Gray-Sama!... Gray-Sama!... Gray-Sama!... _Everybody was taken aback that they were so silent, seemingly hearing an echo.

_... What?_ Just like Lucy, each person was shocked to hear timid Juvia Lockster confess – with the whole student body on board!

The Ace had almost conceded, but let out an exasperated sigh. He still hadn't let go of his wide grip on the podium, but it had relaxed. "We're in a meeting right now. It would not be a good time to go off topic now."

"Eh?" Lucy heard Juvia say.

"Also… There's another girl I like. I'm really sorry." To Lucy, she knew that Juvia wasn't going to take it well. The rejected girl literally ran out of misery. Lucy follows, running after her just a few meters away. The students loudly murmur.

"Alright, that's enough. If nobody else has anything to say, we can move on." Erza had already taken the focus back to the meeting.

"Erza?"

She covers the mic with her left palm. "Go find her. We can take over from here." Gray nods and runs off.

Lucy ends up at school bounds, looks left and right, choosing the latter. "Juvia?" She shouts aloud. The sky was turning gray and the shadows blended in the concrete. "Where could she have gone?" she continued to run, but slowed down when the sky started to rain slightly. "Aw man, it's really raining?" Once she passed up to a construction site, she heard a voice.

"Please help! Help!" _Juvia?_ The blonde ran into the muddy, empty location. She suddenly stopped her trail, nearly ending up on the edge of the nine-foot deep hole.

"Lucy Heartfilia…? How did you get here?" The shy bluenette was already drenched from head to muddy toes.

"I could say the same about you. I have to help you get out of there!" Lucy backs up, trying to find a way to pull her out. She gives shade over her eyes, trying to find a ladder or rope. _Sigh. No luck. _Lucy crouches down, reaching her right arm to the other.

"Can you reach?"

She tried to get a hold of her hand. "I can't."

In reaction, Lucy hung her head down with her arm. _It's bad enough that I can't be my true self… But being unable to help someone? That's even worse._

"_From someone who can't help to someone who can - Character change~!_" Her "X" clip was replaced with a heart clip. Glowing, tiny pink wings were unattached by Lucy's ankles and her back. "Hop, skip, jump!"

Once the unfamiliar girl's voice was in command, Lucy flew upward into the rain. "What is this…?! Am I flying?" Naïve to what was really happening; Lucy had to do the one thing that wasn't smart at high heights – Looking down. She realized how far down she was from the ground.

"Is Lucy… Flying..?" Juvia asked herself. Meanwhile, up in the sky, she can see and hear the heroine freak out.

"AAHH!" Lucy was scrambling, trying to reach for something to grab, even though what was in reach was the musty rain and air.

"Get ahold of yourself, Luce!" The voice spoke again. A sphere of glowing and shine appeared, and vanished in place of a floating chibi. The chibi had pink hair, wore a sporty dress, sneakers, and a red heart clip. Everything she wore on her was in different shades of pink. "Hi Lucy! I'm Rin, your chara!"

While her 'chara' chibi talked, she calmed herself down. "Chara…? As in, guardian chara?" Lucy was able to reach for the scaffolding platform in progress. "Phew."

"Yup! That's right! Your would-be self. You prayed to your guardian angel that you wished to 'open the door of your true character'! I was born from that feeling!" Rin was so enthusiastic to tell her reality self this, but didn't suffice.

"There's no way… I can't believe it."

"What's that?" Gray saw something shoot out into the sky, albeit Lucy flying. "They're at the construction site." He continued to run into the said place. But as he made it, he was glad to see her, but had a shaken feeling of who was up in the crossbars with Lucy.

And the latter saw who or what was coming as well. She could only see a shadow behind the thick fog. Once it cleared up a little bit more, it was the spiky blonde boy who seemed to balance easily on the metal planks unlike Lucy. She still remained to hold the vertical beam. _How'd he get up here?_

"LUCY!" Gray shouted up for her to hear. Fortunately, she did.

"Gray! Save Juvia!" Lucy shouted back down. Interestingly, Gray was able to find his unrequited love.

"Ice make…" A smooth ladder of ice was formed down to the bottom of the hole. "Oh, wow!" The quarry was able to climb up out of the muddy hole. "Thank you so much~!" Juvia had tears of joy that almost made him forfeit. He took off his cape and threw it over her head and back. "It's nothing." The light rain had stopped.

"So," The 'mystery boy' stole Lucy's attention back. "Do you have any keys?" He didn't hesitate to look straight at the drenched blonde. Their faces were – at most – six inches apart from each other.

Rin warns, "Lucy, he wants your keys! Don't give it to him!" Suddenly, yours truly had already reached in her blazer pocket. Lucy was too frantic to even stop him.

"Found. Them." He held the set of gold keys next to his face.

"We got the Celestial Lock AND a set of gold keys. We hit the lottery, Sting! Let's go." Lector puffed up with confidence.

"Alright." They turned around to leave.

_If what Rin really said about Guardian Charas is true… It's like stealing a part of me away._ "Give them back." Lucy said to herself, a shadow was over her eyes.

The twosome stopped. "Eh? Can't hear yah."

"I said… Give… my…keys… back..!" She was quickly moving on her feet with every word she exclaimed, not slipping.

"What - ?" Lucy reached for her cherished possession and was able to snatch them out of the thief's hands. Unluckily, she was off her only source of balance and was falling.

"She fell." Lector said so simply about it.

Lucy closed her eyes tightly, hoping she could fly again. The Celestial Lock that Sting was originally clutching onto his left hand was suddenly let free out of its own will. It was falling outside of the raptors just above Lucy. It seemed like everything was moving slowly as the Lock connected with her. She managed to grab it in her reach.

"_My own heart,_

_ Unlock_."

The glowing lock and Heart Key reunite as a shining bright light hones over the new holder.

"She can character transform?!" Gray and Sting were in unanimity from a distance. "Well, she has made it this far," Gray informs. Behind him was a certain female puffing her cheeks.

A bright light was glowing around her as she replaced her school uniform into a different outfit – A pink crop tank revealing her midriff with ruffles as the edge hem, a lengthy red ribbon tied into a bow as a necklace, with a pleated pink skirt. Sneakers and legwarmers were put on.

"Character Transform: Gate of the Heart!"

"Whoa?! What is this?! This is so embarrassing! Anyone in the city could see me like this!" Lucy covers her exposed stomach by curling into a ball in the air.

"Lucy! Believe in yourself! Or else you'll – "Poof! A cloud of sparkles embraced out of Lucy, back into her own uniform. "– Change back." Sadly she was about to drop down again.

"Ice make…!" Gray came in time to save her by forming a tall ice pillar right below her, followed by a clean, sleek curved slab of ice as a slide.

Lucy made her way down safely, and spun around once when she got to the dirt. "Thanks." The tall ice work of art disappears into shattered ice drops as she stood up. _He can do ice magic…? Amazing._

"Anytime, Lucy."

"One thing, though…" Lucy sweatdropped, one of the many questions made her flushed and confused. "W-why are you shirtless…?" Juvia was well aware of it, but a cloud of steam poofed out of her head, making her more self-conscious than Lucy.

"Ah well … It's a habit, I guess." Gray scratched his head and laughed nervously. Then his attention turned to the mysterious guy landing on the mobile crane. He managed to come off the building without injury. The sun broke through the gray clouds and shone on him. "Sting Eucliffe!"

"It's been a while." Sting leered and held his forearm up with his fist. A shadow of an enlarged dark dragon arm followed his and swung it toward the threesome.

"Ice shield!" Gray was fast enough to save themselves. He already had his fist on his palm to fight back, but once after the shield was self-demolished, Sting had already vanished. "He's gone?! Seriously?!"

"HEY FREEZE BRAIN!" It didn't take long for already-enraged Gray to know that was. "We need to head back!" Natsu suddenly appeared on cue.

"ALRIGHT! I'm getting there! Geez!" Gray follows, with Juvia trailing him. He mumbles, "So impatient."

"Wait…!" Lucy had a lot of questions, and she knew the right people to ask. "What do I do with this…?" She shows the Lock to the two of them.

After a moment, they pause and say: "Keep it for now." "Yeah, take care of it." The three ran back to the school.

Lucy sighed and slouched forward. "I swear, boys are so simply complex."

"You could say that again!" Rin peered out from behind.

"You're still here?!" She gaped at her chara.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? I'm still your guardian character, and always will be."

"Man… You've put me through too much trouble, Rin."

"Hehe~ Anytime!" She circled around her owner.

_Sigh. What a pain. But-_ She holds her ring of keys. _I wonder what other charas these will open up to.  
_

* * *

**A/N: Hello! Thanks for reading the first chapter of Heart, Lock, & Key! Please R&R for any feedback you have. As I wrote this chapter last month I was only up to Episode 109, which means that I have zero idea what Sting is like. If you would like to add what Sting is like in the Reviews, that would be helpful!**

**Yes, it is a Shugo Chara AU. I thought it was a really good idea to do ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima; Shugo Chara! belongs to Peach-Pit.**

* * *

Lucy Heartfilia was dreaming peacefully in her sleep into the next morning – She dreamt about character transforming into someone she wanted to be; experiencing what it's like to fly; being herself that she's been hiding all this time. At 6:23 AM, Lucy woke up, stretching, and rubbing her eyes.

_Did that really happen? Must be a dream._

"Hi, Lucy~!" Rin hung upside down in between and over her eyes.

"AAAH!" Another morning for Lucy to be fully awake. _It's not a dream after all?!_ Lucy backed out, making Rin fall off and tumble forward into the padded quilt. "Oof!" She got back up on her feet.

_Oh_. She recalled what else happened yesterday.

_ "Yes, I'm truly sorry about this morning! I really like you, Gray-Sama!"_ Juvia had confessed in front of the whole student crowd. Next thing she remembered, Gray flat out rejected her and she ran off outside.

After Lucy was finished recalling, Rin levitated in front of her. "Something wrong, Luce? You look kind of sad." She was concerned for Lucy, since she looked blankly dull.

"…Well, it's just that, Juvia didn't act herself yesterday during the meeting. She's normally shy and isolates herself often."

"Hmm…" Rin thought about this as she lies on Lucy's right shoulder. She then perks up. "Oh!"

"What is it?" Lucy looks at her shoulder, anticipating an answer from her.

Rin was silent for a moment, but replies, "I don't remember."

"Really?!" Lucy buries her face in her hands in frustration.

#

"I'm off to school!" Lucy declares, but doesn't wait for a reply. She throws her messenger bag over her shoulder, hand on handle, right hand on hip. "Let's go, Rin."

"Yeah!" They both head out the mahogany double-doors into the white light. The key ring hangs under her untucked shirt by the skirt's waistband.

#

As Lucy heads to the school, she suddenly has to persist through Rin's annoyances.

As they entered the building, that's when Rin starts to drill Lucy with some questions. "So, Lucy, do you know why your school is called Fairy Tail?"

"No idea. I've been attending for past a month."

"All right then! Do fairies have tails?"

"I would think no, but I'm not sure about it." Lucy sighs. _I wonder how's Juvia… If I was her, I wouldn't want to go to school today. Come to think of it, I wonder how is she doing?_

As they were on their way, the blue Spade Key jingled as an unfamiliar, fading guardian-chara wearing blue clothing was right behind Lucy and Rin. As Lucy continued to walk, the latter stops, feeling a familiar presence. Once she turns around to almost see her sister chara, she disappears, as well as the Spade Key.

"Rin, keep up, will you?" Lucy shouts from away.

"Sorry!" Rin paces herself to catch up.

Suddenly, Lucy is already in front of the door of Class 3-A, Star Class Group. She cringes, but reaches for the inner handle of the door and slides it open. Once she enters the classroom, it becomes quiet.

Several classmates murmur, "Say, do you remember what happened yesterday?"

"About Juvia confessing?"

"That seemed really unlike her at all to do such a bold thing like that."

Lucy took her seat by the tall window she always looks out at. Not long after she seated herself, a classmate comes up to her. "Lucy, what do you think about Juvia's stunt?" "Yeah, did you think it was over the top or-"

The silent blonde abruptly stood up, head hung down as she turned around. Her posture was adjusted normally once she spoke. "You make it sound like it's not possible for her to have feelings like that. That's her business. I don't see how it's much of a concern to any of you at all." Her mini speech leaves the class stunned and silent. Oh no. I think that was too much.

Everyone in the class exchange glances. "Wow, I didn't know that…" Few students, however, will still not moved by her monologue. Students continue to murmur until a tall, scarlet-haired girl slides the door open and enters into Class 3-A. The guardian began to make her way toward the standing out blonde.

Suddenly attention was turned to who was coming inside. "Isn't that Erza Scarlet, Queen's Chair of the Guardians?" "I wonder what she is doing here." "She looks amazing with that cape on her!" The side conversations began to lower as she stops to where she needed to be.

"I've been meaning to talk to you, Lucy." Erza had a sealed letter in her right hand, and gave it to Lucy with both hands. "The Guardians look forward to meeting you today." Lucy accepts the letter. Erza turns on her heel, on her way out of the Star Classroom.

"Wow, Heartfilia! You got invited to tea in the Royal Garden!"

"You're so lucky!"

Lucy's wondering thoughts drowned out the praises, like she always has. _I wonder what the Guardians will be like in person. And what does the Royal Garden look like anyway?_

#

At P.E. Class. The Moon Class and Star Class groups are merged to do Track & Field together- right now, they're playing a version of the last day of Last Man Standing – with hurdles and a one-on-one person match.

The coach blows the whistle once the first and running last man standing made it to the end – His real name is Sarasuke, but people call him "Jet" because of how fast he is.

From the Star Group's sidelines, negative comments ensue. "Man, he's really fast…" "No one can beat him…" "We're losing hope here."

"It's for sure no one could beat me!" Jet declares, acting all high and mighty too soon.

Meanwhile, Lucy takes the situation differently. "Jeez, can't the guy lay off on the confidence for once?" She was ready to put up a white flag, even though she was the last one that hasn't run against him yet.

Rin suddenly appears above and out of the crowd. "Then why not run against him, Lucy?" She became puzzled as to why Lucy was looking at her shocked. "What?"

Lucy tries to grab her floating chara, but fails. "People might see you!"

"Don't worry! People who don't have charas can't see me!" She weaves through the crowd. The blonde arches her back and hangs her head. "I was close to tiring myself out..."

"Is there anyone else that would like to run against Jet?" The coach gestured to the triumphant upperclassman.

"This looks like a job for the Gate of the Heart!" Rin popped out behind Lucy.

"NO, wait-!"

"Chara change!" Lucy jumped up and raised her hand eagerly."I'll go~!" The class suddenly turned to the back of the crowd with hope back in their eyes. "Yay, Lucy! You can do it!"

_ I'm not gonna make it. I'm not gonna make it. I'm not gonna make it. _Lucy was already in runner start position, left of Jet.

"Ready…"

"You're pretty brave, blondie. I wouldn't like to lose to the likes of you!"

"Set…"

"Let's see about that." _What's up with the competitive spirit?!_

The whistle goes off. The two were already off, biting the dust.

"WOAH!" _My body is moving by itself!_ She was getting dizzy-eyed.

Jet and Lucy were at neck and neck, alternating who was first or last after each hurdle.

How is she so fast? That can't be possible. Jet glances at the dizzy "Lucky Lucy." And how is she not throwing up in that state? He slightly sweatdrops.

The classes cheered for either runner. "Go Lucy~!" Rin had pink pom-poms in either hand and raised them.

The last whistle blew; the race had ended. "Yatta!" Lucy jumped with one fist up. Steam was coming under the rubber bottom of her shoes.

The former last man standing was stripped of his title and confidence and slouched. It seemed as if shadows loomed over him.

"Aw, don't feel bad, Jet." Levy patted her disappointed friend on the back. "Just don't let it get to you."

Jet sighed, standing up straight. "If you say so." He walked ahead and past his short friend.

Levy then watches Lucy being thrown up into the air by her Star Class in a clumped crowed. She smiles at Lucy, even if she can't see her.

#

"RIN!" The said guardian-chara reacted backward and hit against the inside of the bathroom stall door. "Because of you, I embarrassed myself in front of my whole class!"

"But Lucy, you didn't – "

"No 'buts'!" Lucy lowered her head and clenched her fist. "These characters have been nothing but trouble to me." She raised her head. "After I unlock with the second key, I'm afraid I'll have to give them back." Rin had a sad expression on her face as Lucy raised her Heart Key pointed toward her. "If you understand, then I'll see you after school."

However, Rin noticed something unusual and gasps. "Lucy, the blue key is missing!"

The other looks at her key ring, with only the Clover Key remaining. "What?! No way! How did this happen?!"

"We have to find the key!"

"But my next class is about to start!"

"We'll have to find it after school." Rin fades into a small, shining sphere of light and shoots through an imaginary lock and into the key.

#

Star Class: Calligraphy Room. It was Kangoku Class (A/N:Japanese language class for Japanese students) Students were seated in a monotone desk setting, painting with a calligraphy brush in a strict manner. However, Lucy was a different story. Her "brushmanship" looked ineligible and heinous. _I have the worst penmanship ever when it comes to calligraphy._ She slouched with her brush hand leaning.

"LUCY! Back straight! Head and brush UP!" The stern Japanese teacher scolded her.

"Sorry!" Lucy reacted quickly, but whined. Lisanna peered beside her in her on seat. "Lucy, don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'll try not to, Lisanna…" Lucy then thinks, _maybe if I think that writing a story has to do with writing calligraphy, I might just do better!_

_"From a girl who can't paint calligraphy to a girl who can – chara change!"_ A voice takes command as Lucy's clip is replaced by a blue spade. Soon, her brush was almost everywhere on the rice paper. She has no control; her classmates question her exaggerated moves.

"Aaaaahhh!" Lucy was far from keeping up with her own hand. Once she was done, the brushmanship displayed as a masterpiece remained flawless. Lucy had written a Japanese proverb in kanji –

"".

The students gather and make a crowd around her desk, astonished at her work. Lucy was out of her seat and away from her classmates. "Rin, you did it again!" She was almost about to pop a vein.

"It's not me, I'm the athletic type! I can only do sports!"

"Then who could've done that…?"

Over the tall window was a small chibi levitating, putting quill on an old scroll of paper, as if she was writing. "Over there! Excuse me!" Lucy runs out of the room, and Rin follows.

She was already out of the building at the inside edges of the school.

"Rin, that chara…"

"It's your second chara, Lucy! We have to catch her as soon as we can!"

"Right!" Despite the nearing distance between Lucy and the runaway, Lucy stumbled, tripped and fell at each attempt of catching her. Oddly enough, if anyone else were around and saw her, she would look like she's trying to capture air in a mason jar.

When the two had enough, Rin exclaimed, "Why are you running away?! Aren't you her guardian character too?!"

The other stopped floating away. After a pause, she turns around to face Lucy and Rin. "I'm Mika, Lucy's would-be self. But she is still skeptic and wary about us. If she doesn't believe in me, I'll disappear."

Lucy becomes slightly shocked. "Disappear…?"

Rin saunters over to Mika. "She's right, Lucy. What you did on the track was your true talent, your potential. And what just happened in the Calligraphy Room was also your potential too.

"So please, believe in us, Lucy."

Lucy blinks and looks away. At first, I still thought that guardian charas are annoying. But what I'm trying to understand is that you're also helping me to become my true self." After a silent moment, she says, "So yes, I'll try to believe in you."

Her two would-be selves exchanged joyful glance. Rin moves toward Lucy on her way back to class, whereas Miki unlikely stands in her glad nature. "Hey! You coming? I've been out for so long that people will start getting ideas!"

Mika stood confused buy smiled and agreed. "Yeah!" She follows Lucy.

#

In the same grassy, windy area outside, distancing from the school, Sting and Lector are laid down at the same spot, looking up at the sky. Sting recalls the incident from the day before: As Lucy continued to fall, the Stellar Lock fell with her as if by fate's force. She takes the Lock in her possession, as time

_Slowly_

_Ticks_

_By._

"That girl… The lock reacted to her."

"I bet she has some of the Celestial Keys. There's no doubt about it." Lector insists to him.

#

The last school bell rings to end the day – students flow outward, walking their way home. Meanwhile, Lucy holds the invitation for a visit from the Guardians.

"So, this is the place?" Mika and Rin ask Lucy.

"Looks like so." She looks at the envelope. "But I'm really nervous~!" The venue was said to be at the Glasshouse in the Royal Garden, which shimmered in the sunlight.

"Lucy opens the door, and peeks in before stepping in. "Excuse me…" Inside was truly like a Royal Garden. It looked like observing a tropical terrarium from the inside, adding a fountain up front. And three people stood proudly who have been waiting for their guest of honor.

"Welcome – to our Royal Garden!" Erza was standing in the elevated stone and open gazebo from the center, at her usual position between Natsu and Gray. The threesome stood tall and proud with their guardian charas.

Lucy realized, "Eh? Guardian charas?" Under the gazebo was where she took a seat. Snacks were served; Rin and Mika step down on the table to play with the sugar cubes.

Erza sets down the teapot. "Let's introduce ourselves, shall we?" They still remain standing. "Erza Scarlet, Queen's chair." An armored knight floats beside her. "This is Jeanne, my would-be self."

"Natsu Dragneel, Jack's Chair." The pink head was pointing at himself, while a levitating chara was in flames, but put himself out without water. "This is Calcifer."

"Gray Fullbuster, Ace's Chair." He had his arms crossed, but expressed himself proudly instead of closed off. "This is my chara, Ur."

After the introductions, Lucy quickly stood up, flustered. "I'm – "

Gray chuckled. "We already know your name."

"Yeah!" Natsu adds in. "It's uh… um… Luigi, right?" He grins, thinking he remembered correctly. However, the ice boy hits the back of the fire boy's head. "No, you idiot, it's Lucy."

"And your charas are Rin and Mika, no doubt about it." Erza smiles at the two, who were playing with the sugar cubes, but had stopped, wondering how they knew their names.

"How do you know about me?"

"We always back up our research mostly through the student body." Natsu and gray grin, close-eyed.

"More like an invasion of privacy!" Lucy sighed.

Natsu held a thin, hard covered book by his side in his hand. "So you had a lot of questions you wanted to ask us, right?" He showed the cover, facing Lucy in both hands. She accepted the book. "This might help."

She reads the title: "The Heart's Keys…?" As Lucy open's the story book, Gray explains, "The founder of Guardians made this children's story book."

Lucy begins reading the first page. "The heart is like a lock. The lock protects the person's true self." She turns the page. "Huh? A page has been ripped out." She runs her hand through the ripped piece that remained binded.

"The Guardians recruit a certain number of students who already 'unlocked' their would-be selves." Erza already seats herself with tea and strawberry shortcake.

"It's actually somewhat rare for their keys to appear out of nowhere in person, you know?" As he talked, Natsu made a hand gesture by slightly cupping his two hands like a clam and opening them to reveal Calcifer with his key, popping up.

"Sometimes when a person feels troubled or acts negative on themselves, their keys become dull and rusty, as if they were eroding. The boy of the key turns into an X Key."

"An X Key…?" Just as Lucy was having questions answered, new questions had already come up.

Erza regained composure as she stood up. "Since you know more about what we do…" The two boys stood in usual position. "We would like for you to join the Guardians."

Lucy blinked, looking up at them. Eh? "EEEH?!" She stood up, shocked and confused again.

Gray slid beside her, giving her "The Thinker" looking. "We can only character change, and you know, Lucy, that character transformation was amazing the other day."

Soon, Natsu slid to the other side of Lucy too. "Woah, you got to see it in person before me? That's – not – fair!" Natsu pouts and complains off to the side, as a red head is sensed off an eerie prescence with only shining eyes giving light. "You can character transform? That's amazing! You should show us!"

Lucy backs up, even more flustered. "W-wait, I honestly don't know how to change back!" To Lucy's imagination, it felt like the Guardians were looming over her as she slowly shrunk lower.

"So, what do you say, Lucy?"

"N..." Lucy attempts to spew out an answer. "No!" But it comes out too rash.

"Why?!" The three become shocked by her answer.

"Well… Because… The cape doesn't match what I wear!" Lucy came out with the most honest answer she's ever made lately.

"Eh?" "That's all?" Erza and Gray overestimated her reason.

Unusually, Natsu cracks up."Hahaha! You're so funny! You're in!" A banner that said "Congratulations, New Guardian!" and confetti suddenly appear out of nowhere to the background.

"I'm not supposed to be funny!" Lucy was not amused by Natsu's antics. Suddenly, her feeling of being towered was coming back to her.

"So, will you join us?"(A/N: Not) Exaggerating, she thought she was being forced into the dark side.

"S…Sorrrryyyyy!" Lucy darts off toward the door. Rin and Mika catch up with her.

The guardians stand sort of taken aback at the runaway guest. Suddenly, Natsu bursts out laughing again. "She's great!"

Outside, a little ways far from the Glasshouse is where Lucy lays sideways on a wooden bench. Her right arm dangles off the bench. She sighs tiredly. "Why would the Guardians want someone like me in their group anyways…? What could make them not want to ask again?" She sits up properly with two clenched fists to her chest. "I'm officially going to be normal. Just normal. If that's what it takes."

"I doubt that'll turn out all right, Lucy…" Rin sweatdrops while she disagreed.

"I believe they wanted to join because they knew that you had three guardian charas." Mika says, "You're not acting like the girl that prayed to show her true self."

Lucy sighs, slouching. She realizes what was still in her hand. "Oh! I forgot to give the lock back to them." Suddenly, she hears somebody running in the dirt track and field road. The mystery person appears out of the bush. "Hey, blondie!"

"Oh!" It was Jet in his PE attire. He runs toward Lucy to sit on the mostly, open side of the bench by her. "What're you doing here?"

He leaned back in a usual comfortable pose, and was drinking from his icy cold water bottle. "None other than running. Guess that's pretty obvious." He grinned from ear to ear at Lucy.

"You practice, even though everyone knows you're already the best?" Lucy tilts her head, being oblivious about what she just asked.

Jet leaned in front of himself. "Well, just as much as I don't act like it, I get that there's someone out there better than me. May sound impossible until what just happened today." After a pause, Lucy looks out toward the dirt road, and stands up to almost walk toward it. Jet mentions, "I'm not sure how I feel about that right now…"

_Just because of me, he's feeling hesitant about himself?_ Lucy wore a hesitating look. Just then, the sky became dull gray, with the shadows blending in with the ground. A light wind was beginning to build up. Suddenly, Jet had a monotonous look on his face, with his pupils gone. Streaks of shadows shoot up about and above him to reveal a dull, floating key with an X on the bow.

Lucy turns around, and reacts almost in horror. "What is this?"

"Lucy! It's an X Key!" Rin filled her in. "We have to polish his key!"

"I believe I just know how to do that!" Lucy stood in a wide pigeon stance. "_My heart, unlock!_"

#

As the Guardians leave the Glasshouse, Natsu notices a bright glowing light appearing over the trees. "Huh?" He abruptly stopped walking. Erza stops walking, but Gray is cut off by his trail as he almost continued to stride.

"Hey, why'd you stop walking?"

"Hey, why'd you try to trail me? I just say a light, you idiot!" Gray looks at the same direction his rival did.

"It's Lucy!" Gray exclaimed. The trio changed direction by running near where the light could be.

It was the first unusual battle between a floating key and a normal heroine who can become a magical girl. Mika looked at Lucy as The Heart's Gate. "Amazing…" The lock hung on her neck by a chain. _Useless. Useless. Useless. Useless. Useless. Useless._ Abruptly, more dark, windy shadows are hurling toward Lucy. She defends herself by lowering her head behind her crossed arms.

"Can you feel it, Lucy?" Rin spoke through the lock.

"I feel a lot of magic power building up!" The shadows died down.

Off into the elevated sidelines, the Guardians appear, going to be spectators for Lucy in battle. "It's an X Key!"

Jet began to speak blatantly and dull. "I'm not sure if I could handle losing to anybody… What's the use of trying when there's somebody better?" His key began to shroud in a dark mist.

Lucy confronts him. "Where's the guy that had confidence in himself, even if it was a bit too much? It's alright to excel in something you love that others love, too!

"Besides, that's out of character for you to even say that!"(A/N: It really is.)

Jet has a confused expression as the key's mist disappear.

Lucy rises up the Heart Key and declares to the sky: "I call upon the Gate of the Heart's power!" A streak of light shines on the holder's key and shoots up to the sky. A ripple appears then accelerates, taking direct hits on the X Key. Somehow, the key was converted into a normal, untouched, golden key, basking in front of the light. Jet's key places itself into a lock, turns, and fades away into Jet's heart.

"WAY TO GO, LUCY!" Natsu shot up in the air, startling her.

"Guardians?!" She still hadn't notice they arrived a while ago.

"That was an amazing character transformation!" Erza readjusted her glasses. The threesome was already approaching her.

"We haven't seen anything like it before!" Gray was mentioning so.

"Say, Lucy," Natsu was beginning to ask her, "You sure you don't want to join the Guardians?"

Jet suddenly wakes up. "What happened to me? Where's Lucy?" He looks toward the setting sun. "Should be getting home soon." He gets up, brushes himself off, and leaves.

"Lucy turns away from him, back facing him. "I'm – I'm sure!"

"Eh~? You sure she's telling the truth?" Mika whispers to Rin. "They both act secretively above Lucy's head.

Rin plays along. "Doubt it. Think she's going to be forced to join?"

"HEY! I can hear you!" Lucy shouts at her charas, who fly away. "Oh, is it that late?" She notices that the sun was a different position than before. "Well, would you look at the time! I best be on my way!" Lucy waves to the Guardians as she leaves to go home, and her charas follow.

"What do you think, Erza?" Natsu turns to her for a second opinion.

"She has three guardian characters, she can character transform, so we won't let her get away from joining the Guardians." Erza had her hand on her hip and pushed the nose of her shining glasses, acting valiantly.

#

That evening at Lucy's house.

"Today was a great day! You were so into it when you transformed!" Rin praised to her true self.

"It's no big deal…" Lucy dismissed her appraisal.

"There you go again, trying to deny yourself." Mika adds in. "Tsundere."

"Small fry."

"Blonde bimbo!" Mika stuck out her tongue. Lucy tries to grab her, but she floats away. Somehow it all turns into a game of chasing them.

"Get back here!" Lucy says as she laughs.

Meanwhile, on the headboard of Lucy's bed, hung Lucy's keys on its ring. The Clover Key slightly shines and jingles in movement.

* * *

**A/N: YAY It's summer break! I can't wait to do everything that I had hoped to do while at school! I hope you enjoyed the second chapter :)**


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